Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday urged member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) to make concerted efforts to dismantle the entire ecosystem of terrorism, calling it one of the gravest threats to peace and development.Addressing the 25th meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of Government (CHG) in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, Singh said terrorism not just claimed innocent lives, it disrupted investment and commerce, radicalised societies and denied young people the opportunities they deserved.“There can be no justification for terrorism, no double standards in addressing it, and no place for those who finance, support or provide safe havens to terrorists,” he said.Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar was also present when Singh was making these remarks at the gathering.Recalling the SCO Summit held in Bishkek in August-September, Singh said PM Narendra Modi had underlined the need for concrete steps on security, connectivity and opportunity. He stressed that economic engagement must be inclusive and mutually beneficial.Singh asked the SCO grouping that it must stay efficient and adhere to the principles of sovereign equality, consensus and mutual respect.The Defence Minister called on the SCO to turn consensus into action amid an uncertain global economic climate marked by geopolitical tensions, trade and supply chain disruptions, energy and food security concerns, and widening technological divides.Singh backed the adoption of an ‘Action Plan for the Multilateral Trade and Economic Cooperation Programme for 2026-2030.’Singh welcomed the decision taken in Bishkek to make the Universal Centre in Tashkent and the Anti-Drug Centre in Dushanbe as permanent bodies of the organisation.On connectivity, Singh said India supported initiatives linking markets and facilitating trade, and cited the International North-South Transport Corridor and the Chabahar Port as routes that could connect Central Asia with wider markets.However, he said such projects must be founded on consultation and respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries.“Projects not founded on these principles will not be sustainable,” he added. The Minister also called for moving beyond the creation of physical infrastructure. Singh added that there was a need to simplify customs procedures, digital documentation, improved logistics to bring down the cost of doing business in the region.Presenting India’s experience as an example, Singh pointed to the country’s Digital Public Infrastructure, which he said had transformed service delivery and financial inclusion, and to its large start-up ecosystem.“Our success should be measured by the opportunities we create for youth, new markets we open for our entrepreneurs, technologies we make available to our farmers and small-scale business owners, and the connections we foster among societies,” Rajnath told the congregation.Meanwhile, the meeting reviewed progress in multilateral economic and trade cooperation, and discussed ways to strengthen collaboration in transport, finance, the digital economy and social development. Heads of the delegation adopted the joint communiqué, including the SCO budget for 2027, financial and administrative decisions, and the Action Plan for 2026-2030.